Minato's Decision!
Alu kept making weird clues about Forrest which I didn't exactly get. She kept giggling and skipping ahead of me, which to me, made me feel very disturbed. My mind was set on finding Forrest, so I could challenge him and get on with getting a step closer to returning home to Konoha. My heart beat was a constant reminder of my being alive.
I saw some teenage boy fighting a younger boy with a freakish looking bat. It was purple with four wings and small yellow eyes with red pupils and it kept going, "Cro, Cro."
I looked at the Poke'mon the teenager had and it was a small fluffy sheep looking creature. In my head the name clicked. "That's a Mareep!" I thought, watching as it let loose another bolt of electricity, which the other creature dodged nimbly.
Dexter beeped in my pants pocket, so I pulled him out, and a hologram of the purple bat creature appeared as Dex said, "Crobat, the bat Poke'mon. Crobat is faster than its pre-evolutions and evolves from a Golbat via happiness. Crobat is a cave dweller and has an ability to sneak up on its prey. Need to be closer in order to scan for moves." I guessed even the Dexter had its limits to its abilities.
"Sooo, you ready for your match?" Alu asked me, grinning. I figured I'd be as ready as felt which didn't count for much. I knew what I was fighting for, and I wouldn't give up my mission.
I heard the short brown haired boy shout, "Go! Use poison fang!" to which the Mareep got beaten as it wasn't fast enough to dodge, and I couldn't help but notice the fast agility that the bat possessed.
I watched keenly as the Mareep being poisoned, finally fainted after putting up a tarrowing fight. The teenage boy returned his Poke'mon and I watched as he shook hands with the other trainer after the referee who was wearing a yellow and black striped outfit waved the red flag. I looked around, and realized Alu had somehow gotten down the steps and to the ref before I'd even become aware of her absence. She talked with the short boy, and pointed in my direction. That's when it hit me. The Gym leader of this city….was a young kid? I saw her motion to me and my feet numbly moved while my brain was still processing this newly discovered information. As I saw it though, perhaps this kid was a prodigy, like Kakashi had been. Kakashi had been made a Jonin at thirteen, but what was not to say that there were plenty of younger ninja than him that were stronger than me. So, it wasn't as big as a shock that this kid was strong.
"Hurry it up! Ya slowpoke!" Alu shouted at me.
"I'm coming, geez. You're so loud." I complained.
"THANKS!" she replied, grinning at me with a mischievous glint.
The boy eyed me with an acute interest, and then pointed at me. "So is this the newbie that dares challenge me? Forrest of the Pewter Gym?"
I stared at him, taken aback by his abrupt attitude. "Alright then, Minato, let's battle after lunch then. I still need to heal my Poke'mon and feed them. I need to pick another partner for battling you." Forrest told me.
"Lunch is very important meal!" Alu said, grinning. I was at a loss for words, and could only stare after him, as he exited with the referee.
"Now what?" I groaned. I'd wanted to get this match over with as soon as possible.
"Oh chillax." Alu said, waving her hand at me. "Since Forrest is busy at the moment, why not explore Pewter city for a bit? He'll be back in an hour." She suggested this with such enthusiasm I knew that No wasn't gonna be an option. I can't believe I'm having my life controlled… by a loud obnoxious spontaneous teenager…. I sighed again but followed Alu as she exited the Gym. I looked back at it, longingly, wishing that the kid would finish his lunch or whatever it was fast, so that I could be on my way.
"I know!" I heard Alu exclaim brightly, "Let's go explore Pewter Museum! It's full of fossils and other old stuff!"
"That's the point of a museum." I said, raising my eyebrows at her.
"L.O.L. I know that!" she laughed, and we headed off to the Pewter Museum.
*****************************…******************************
When we arrived around ten minutes later, we found a sign posted outside, and it read:
We are sorry for the inconvenience, but the Pewter Museum has been closed for renovations at the moment.
I looked up at the museum, and then at Alu. She was thinking, and as a smirk spread across her lips, I couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. She looked both ways, and then she whistled, and walked to the other side of the Museum. I looked around, to see if anyone else had noticed this idiot, but no one was within site at the moment. "Come on Sparky!" she called to me happily.
"Alu!" I growled, "This is illegal!"
"That just adds to the fun!" she snickered.
I refused, and I shook my head. Folding my arms across my chest I stubbornly refused to move. Alu's face dropped. "Awww.. come on..Mina-chan~" she began.
"No, and don't call me Mina-chan!" I said stubbornly.
"Goody goody- chan." She pouted.
"Ya, notice how goody guys stay out of trouble." I pointed out, rolling my eyes.
She rolled her eyes. I could tell she had a comeback but whatever it was, she wasn't gonna use it. My stomach suddenly growled.
"I guess… we'll just eat then." Alu said, resignedly. I looked at her surprised. She had given up surprisingly easier than I thought possible. She smiled again, and skipped on past me, singing "Minato's a wimp, Minato's no Pimp. He aint got nothing that can beat me. He's got a big head don't know which one's bigggerrrr~"
My face turned red after I'd processed what she'd said. I groaned. "Alu…"
"Yes?"
"Please shut up."
"L.O.L."
We ate at a small restaurant when all of a sudden a poke'mon flashed out from Alu's waist. I nearly choked, looking at it. It was a small raccoon looking creature. It had zigzags on its fur, its fur literally were zigzags. It had huge brown eyes, and a black stretched out ovaluar mask. "Zigzago~on!" it exclaimed.
I pulled out my Dex, and it scanned the small raccoon. "Zigzagoon, the small raccoon poke'mon. Zigzagoon's fur is zigzagged, and its muzzle is jagged and it has spiky ears. When it opens its mouth, two small fangs can be seen. This poke'mon is very common and is from the Hoenn region. Its special ability is "Pick up" where it can locate random items. This creature is very curious, and runs in zig zags when it is excited. When it evolves into Linoone, it can only run in zigzags, it cannot make turns." I found the creature like all the others to be intriguing. Alu slipped it some of her burger. The Zigzagoon eagerly chomped it.
My stomach churned. I had just ordered a salad and water. I wasn't used to eating poke'mon. "Alu… are you aware that you're turning it into a cannibal?"
She laughed. "Chillax." She said, shrugging nonchalantly.
Well… I figured it was her poke'mon, so I just focused on eating my salad.
I wondered why it had come out and actually… how it had come out.
"Apparently, they can come out if they don't want to be in their ball." Alu said, shrugging.
I bit my tongue accidentally. " Alu!"
"What? What? You asked." She pointed out.
Yeah I did…in my HEAD. I complained.
She laughed. "Ok Minato." She said, "I need to tell you some stuff that will help you against Forrest."
My interest was instantly alerted. "I'm listening."
After we'd eaten, it was time for the battle. We headed over to Pewter gym, and my heart beat faster as we neared my first match. One gym badge would get me one step closer to returning home. I figured, if I managed to get all the badges in half the time Alu predicted, and then I could see Naruto before 12 years.
I entered the gym and was met with a "Well, it took you long enough, old man." from the gym leader Forrest. I remained with a poker face. I was used to taunts, we were trained to control our emotions at ninja academy and I excused this rash behavior with the simple excuse that he was just a rowdy ten year old.
"Where are your siblings or your parents?" Alu asked curiously.
"Ma and Pa are out with them, they're all on a camping trip. I'm a big boy; I can take care of this place." Forrest said, puffing out his chest proudly.
"The more important thing at hand, you, you ready for a butt-kicking defeat?" he declared. I grinned back. "That's my line kid!"
His eyes flashed angrily. "I'm not a kid!"
I snorted. As far as I was concerned, he was.
"LET'S BATTLE!" Forrest said, and took his place at his end of the gym. The referee raised the yellow flag, "The match between Forrester of Pewter and the challenger Minato from the Katon region, is commencing now!" I shot Alu a glare, but she merely grinned and waved. I knew she said I didn't need to worry about enemy ninja but… still! I shook it off, I had a match to win.
"RHYHORN!~ battle stance!" and out flashed a rhino like poke'mon. I didn't have time to get out my Dex. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I recalled what Alu had told me, and I was going to have to battle based on that knowledge. It was a small rhinoceros-like creature with a body of gray and had rocky plates with a ridge on its back. It had visible fangs protruding from its upper jaw. Rhyhorn had four short legs with two claws and a triangle-shaped head with a single, short horn. Rhyhorn had mall triangular openings on the sides of its head, which must've be ears.
I knew Rhyhorn was a Rhyno poke'mon, and that it's weak to water, but, Squirtle was one of my weakest right now… I recalled what Alu had told me during lunch.
She'd said that just because a poke'mon has more experience and is a higher level doesn't always mean that it can win if the opponent has a type advantage. So I knew I had a chance with Squirtle and also I had Bulbasaur to help me out as well. Charmander would get its chance later. I didn't think I'd be able to use it for this battle.
The Rhyhorn snorted, and stamped its feet impatiently. It was big enough to ride, and I wondered how any of my poke'mon would be able to beat it. Well, I can see now why Gym battles aren't easy… I thought, but that made me more determined to win.
I made my decision. "Go! I choose you, Bulbasaur!" Now, it was time to test my skill as a trainer!
